It’s true. There are so many things right now that are out of our control.

If you find you are really feeling the stress of this COVID-19 lockdown, you’re not alone. These are trying times, to say the least! It’s difficult to manage all the feelings and mood swings during these uncertain times, so if you find you are feeling down, try this trick to bring yourself a little boost of happiness.

It is only natural that, after weeks of being together in close quarters, we begin to get on each other’s nerves. No one is perfect and without the usual places to go for a break, it may be difficult to maintain patience and understanding.

During this unusual time, we are all experiencing extra tension. It is critical that we shelter in place and be very careful to follow the safety protocol, but remember, taking “responsible” walks is still recommended for mental health.

According to Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University:

“The most important influence on early brain development is the real-life back and forth (serve and return) interaction with caring adults.

When was the last time you felt pure JOY? Experiencing joy takes only seconds, really, but we need to slow down and be open to finding it. 

BEHAVIOR IS DRIVEN BY EMOTION. Ashleigh Warner, Psychologist, breaks it down even more when she says, “Beneath every behavior is a feeling. And beneath every feeling is a need. And when we meet that need rather than focus on the behavior, we begin to deal with the cause not the symptom.”

The other day, instead of tossing out a box that held our classroom paper towels, I placed it on the carpet right before class.

If you want your children to stay engaged with their toys, play with purpose, and even work together, then set up the playroom with open-ended materials.

Children have the same feelings as adults. They haven’t created new ones. They experience excitement, disappointment, fear, joy, frustration, etc. We know these feelings intimately, so why do we have such a hard time helping our children through them? Why are we afraid of tantrums?

“Before we ever put a pencil in a child’s hands, those hands should dig, climb, press, push, pull, squish, twist, and pinch in a wide array of environments and with a variety of materials.” ~ Amanda Morgan

Children develop from top to bottom and inside to outside.

“It’s a wonderful thing how the wild calms the child.” ~Unknown

Gloria Mark also explains, “Whenever you check email, every so often you get a hit, some great email received. That happens on a random schedule. In psychology, that’s called random reinforcement and that’s enough to reinforce behavior.”

Let’s think about something... If children are not connected to the environment, why would they ever want to take care of it? 

Every time we walk out the door, nature is there, waiting to be noticed. This complex, natural world surrounds us every single day. It is mind-blowing and magnificent, but how often do we stop and notice it?

Take a minute to think about your healthiest relationships. When you finally get free time to hang out, who do you choose to be with?

Every time I look at this photo I am reminded that we all start out with the potential to be creative. Take a close look. That is one impressively balanced “tree” for the dinosaurs, is it not? Our creative muscle is strong in early childhood.

This makes perfect sense, right? That is because children pay attention to what we DO. We can talk, talk, talk, but if we really want our children to learn a new skill…

Looking for something to do with the family on the weekend? Something that doesn’t cost a thing? Something that will help your children learn to cooperate? Something simple, but a lot of fun?

An imagination is like a muscle. The more you exercise it, the stronger it gets. Early childhood is the best time for children to start exercising their imaginations.

Nothing makes me happier than being surrounded by parents who are eager to learn and willing to share with each other. It helps to know we’re not alone.